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Vikings Trying to Trade Disappointing Defender
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- Vikings Trying to Trade Disappointing Defender
Brad Rempel-Imagn Images Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
This offseason is going to be a busy one for the Minnesota Vikings . Not only do they need to figure out the quarterback position , but there are plenty of cap implications to work through as well.
With Kwesi Adofo-Mensah out of the building , cap guru Rob Brzezinski sits at the top of the current organization structure. He's working in tandem with head coach Kevin O'Connell to right the roster, but you can bet he'll have some shrewd moves to drool over.
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Minnesota could be involved in the trade market on multiple fronts, and clearing the cap hit of Javon Hargrave may be among them.
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Javon Hargrave time with MN Vikings may be coming to an end
Last offseason the Minnesota Vikings sought a path to revamp their interior defensive line . One such answer was to bring in two-time Pro Bowl lineman Javon Hargrave . He paired with Jonathan Allen to turn over the position. That pairing may not run it back in 2026.
Sources: The #Vikings have had trade talks with teams regarding 2x Pro Bowl DT Javon Hargrave.
Hargrave started 15 games last year and had 3.5 sacks in his first season with Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/72siZt5Ul1— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) February 24, 2026
Playing in his 10th NFL season, Hagrave started 15 of the 16 games he played in for Minnesota. He had 3.5 sacks and recorded 52 total tackles. The veteran also logged four tackles for loss and six quarterback hits.
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Last offseason Hargrave signed a two-year deal worth $30 million . It was backloaded though, so more than $21 million goes against the cap this season. Cutting him would generate a $10.5 million dead cap penalty.
Hargrave ranked 35th out of 134 interior defensive lineman in 2025 per Pro Football Focus. He fared better in pass rushing situations, and is very clearly still an NFL caliber commodity.
MN Vikings have other priorities
The Minnesota Vikings aren't just looking to dump Hargrave for nothing. Any trade return shouldn't expect to be massive, but the cap relief can be used elsewhere. In that vein, keeping Jalen Redmond in the fold is of the utmost importance.
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Arguably the most impressive riser on defense last season was Redmond. He is in line for a new contract this season, but his six sacks and 62 tackles make him an exciting emerging talent.
Is there a more underrated DL than Jalen Redmond?
🟩 75.9 – 2024 PFF Grade
🟩 74.4 – 2025 PFF Grade
pic.twitter.com/HNq1qU2eBb— All-22 (@All22_PFF) December 21, 2025
Redmond got sporadic opportunities in 17 games last season due to injuries ahead of him on the depth chart. He made the most of them though, and looked like someone who needs to be on the field a lot more.
Brian Flores can continue to push his defense forward with younger talent, and Hargrave can be used to readjust the Vikings assets.
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